Infinite Being
by GeneralUnrest
Summary: A series of drabbles taking place before/during Continuum Shift focusing on Hazama and Relius' unique partnership as something a bit more. Already there was something like trust between them, but how far that could stretch and be teased was up in the air.
1. Chapter 1

The scent of black tea hung loosely in the air as the cup on the desk no longer wafted any steam upward. It had sat there for sometime now; mostly forgotten as the man working at the desk let it escape his mind. He'd gotten up and made it for the sake of keeping himself moving. Anything beyond sitting at this desk and playing nice.

There were probably better things to do. A thousand better things in fact. Hazama sank back into his seat and watched the unrelenting piles of paperwork refuse to move themselves. There was plenty to read. Not a lot of it was news, but some of it was useful. He usually shuffled it about enough to make himself appear useful and kept whatever he needed to know for later.

The office was more comfortable when it was quiet and no one was around anyway. Hazama's gaze fixed on the untouched cup of tea cooled at the corner of his desk. It was _definitely_ better this way.

He tipped his hat forward, leaned back all the way and relaxed in his chair. A few quiet minutes passed and that was enough to put him to sleep. There were no knocks at the door, no interruptions for once—at least enough for a short nap.

That time did not last long however. It seemed like only when he was on the very edge of an enjoyable little dream did a knock hit his door and wake him. He only had a chance to tip his hat back out of the way before Colonel Relius let himself into the office. The door was shut behind him and he said nothing at first. Even through the mask Hazama could feel his gaze drilling into him.

"Working hard, I can assume," the colonel began; clearing the distance from door to desk in a few brisk strides.

A grin spread across the captain's face. "When have you ever known me to slack off? I'm hurt, Relius. Really. Making assumptions when you know the answer."

Relius stopped aside the desk, observing the tea, the desk and lastly Hazama. "You've been sleeping often. I'm curious if there's something wrong with you."

"Nothing but waiting at this point. Waiting for pieces to fall into place I can't exactly force in just yet. Excuse me if I'm not excited enough for you, Colonel. Did you want me to entertain you?"

"Not entirely. But I do have better things to do."

Hazama remained quiet for a moment as he watched Relius' back. He wasn't sure what the colonel was watching outside; it must have been more interesting than himself hanging out of his chair. "Then go do them, Colonel. Oh, unless..." He began as the thought struck him. He sat up and gave Relius a glowing smile. "You were just dying for my company? I'm touched. You missed me. What has it been? A few days?"

The captain's cackling didn't really stop Relius from simply answering in his own way. "It's been a week, Hazama."

"That long? No wonder you came. You aren't going to ask me anything though?"

A short silence fell before Relius finally looked over his shoulder the other man's way. Another step back and he nearly came to face him. "You would expect me to ask you? It sounds like you have something in mind. You won't have me making assumptions about you after all. Do tell."

Hazama stood abruptly giving Relius a particular look as he did. "You have so much to do, right?" He takes Relius' silence as a "yes." He shifts to lean on the edge of desk facing Relius. The amusement in his voice picks up. "So busy, but you came here for essentially no reason. Meaning you're bored too. You didn't go find some new subject. No, no. You're _here_."

"I'm doing you a favor and not assuming you have a point yet either," Relius butts in. And yet there was just the hint of a smirk on his face.

Hazama's hand snapped out and caught a fistful of Relius' cloak. The puppeteer remained steady in place as if waiting for Hazama to make his decision. His grasp tightened as he pulled. The yank was only enough to cause Relius to lean a touch closer.

The tea on the desk tipped and spilled as Hazama pushed off.

The two stayed quiet and too close, one grinning at the other as neither backed down. Relius slipped in closer by a single step. At first Hazama was certain he was making a move, but instead the colonel leaned over Hazama's shoulder and reached out to upright the tea cup behind him.

"I believe you have work left here. And a bit of a mess. I suppose we can find a better time later," he said as he stalled near Hazama's ear as he pulled away. Hazama's grip loosened on Relius' cloak and he eventually set his hand on his hat.

"I can take a hint. You just leave it to me," he grumbled in response; more irked than he would have liked to have been.

The colonel grinned once more—that slight touch of amusement carrying in his voice. "Then I'll await your arrival, captain. Do keep yourself together until then. I don't know if I'll want to spend the time on a check up."

The captain did not move or do much to acknowledge the request beyond something of an agreement. He watched Relius leave and only picked himself up after the door was shut.

"Goddamn tease," he muttered.

* * *

The breath he felt wash by seemed especially hot. His lips curved up into a grin against Relius' skin as a low, amused laugh got away from him. "So busy, Colonel. Don't have a moment to spare," he said teasingly between rougher presses of his lips to the small portion of Relius' neck he'd gotten free of any collar in the way. He was still in the process of getting his fingers around the rest of it.

"I don't especially...I could get back to it if that's your preference..." Relius answered in a lowered voice; shifting slightly against the wall. It wasn't exactly where he expected to end up, but he got the feeling Hazama had not exactly planned this either.

"Oh no no no. You're good. You stay put. Behave. Or don't," Hazama was quick to correct him, his focus dropped toward the hem of Relius' shirt where his fingers snaked under and up. "Whatever. Until I'm done with you," he muttered.

The blond's next breath came out hard and turned soon to a short laugh. "Full of orders suddenly. Don't I outrank you in this little game?"

"Funny how that doesn't seem to matter to you until right now," Hazama shot back; his hands working up Relius' skin with no particular path in mind just yet. He held his stance that kept the colonel mostly trapped up against the wall. Not that he couldn't push out. Or could have deterred him in the first place.

No, Relius was just especially difficult.

Contrary for the sake of watching Hazama squirm maybe.

"Suddenly pushing a superior officer into the wall and behaving so crassly? I'm sure we could get you put away for such an offense," Relius continued just above a whisper.

Hazama's lips paused over Relius' neck. "You'd enjoy every second of it."

"I do not doubt that."

His lips parted and rather than the feeling of a kiss Relius expected he instead received a sharp bite. Hazama carried on with open mouthed kisses on his flesh around the toothy marks he'd left behind as if he'd not done it at all. It worked better than anything he could have answered with.

The shift in Relius' voice was slight, but noticeable this close. The pick up was small—one Hazama recognized as just a little more heat.

"If you're trying to make a point with that you might want to be more clear."

The stillness between Relius' suggestion and Hazama was only a matter of seconds. Three seconds at the very most.

The thinner man pressed up against him at the hip; a sharper look in his eyes as he grinned. "I'll spell it out for you, nice and slow. You can wait."

Relius grinned back. One hand moved from his side to reach up for Hazama's tie, loosening it casually. "Take your time."

* * *

When he approached there was a slight shift below and a dry laugh. The laughter turned to coughing and an amused little grumble. Barely, he heard his name.

"Relius, decided to show up… At least before I'm dead this time."

Relius stepped over closer to Hazama sprawled out on the floor, bleeding all over himself. He did not get too close, but enough so to stand over him and look down at the mess.

He was a pitiful thing.

"You? You won't die. Not like this anyway," Relius said as he gave him a slight grin. "I'm surprised you're still here though. Not that you have much choice I suppose."

There came a particularly awful cough and spattering of blood as Hazama tried to sit up. "You gonna rub this in or are you gonna help me out here?"

Relius seemed to consider it a moment before summoning Ignis to his side. "Perhaps, but I'm curious how much more you can handle. You might want to get up."

The captain sputtered for a second before pulling himself up. "You're not serious, are you?" Arms hung loosely at his sides as he shot a sharp look Relius' way. "If you're really doing this I'm not gonna hold back."

That was all that was left needed to be said before they clashed. It was embarrassingly short from there. They traded blows certainly; however, Relius' advantage was so great it was only a matter of a few minutes before Hazama was left dangling in Ignis' grip.

One hand clasped at her arm at first—a fruitless struggle that only served to further aggravate his wounds. Eventually he seemed to work out his situation and let go as he laughed. Relius couldn't say the wounds were going to his head especially. It was hard to tell against the usual with him.

"Would it have killed you to go a little easier?" he said at first through a deranged grin. "Look at me. Me...here like this."

Relius stepped in closer from behind Ignis while grinning right back at him. "How could I look anywhere else given the opportunity?"

"Yeah? Burn it into your eyes...Gonna be the last you see. I swear I'm going to make him bleed out of every goddamn pore when I get to him next."

"Provided you get there."

"You do your damn part and we won't have any problems."

Relius was quiet a moment before reaching out and setting his hand on Hazama's wound at his side gently until he seemed to change his mind and instead pressed his hand against it. When he withdrew his white glove was soaked red. The miserable sound out of Hazama was particularly pathetic.

"You don't need to tell me. It's under control, isn't it? The timing is nearly there I assume," Relius answered matter of factly, his gaze on his hand.

"Don't fuck with me. Get it over with," Hazama snapped back at him with whatever energy he had left.

"You put this in my hands and you've no request for how it's done? I suppose if we were patient enough maybe it would be done by itself," Relius answered in his usual tone—not especially turned by threats at this point. They were fairly empty. "You could at least ask politely."

The look on Hazama's face twisted into something between shock and amusement. "Relius you goddamn bastard. The second I get back you're paying for this a hundred times over. Hope you know that."

"Politely, I said."

There was a few seconds pause before Hazama laughed loudly; at least as much as his body could stand until it devolved to coughing. Maybe he was now finally starting to crack open. With blood flecked over his lips he grinned and answered. " _Please_ then Relius, finish the damn job."

The colonel stepped in closer to Hazama just barely held up off the ground. He leaned in closer still and Hazama could not say for sure how long his lips lingered. It seemed too short. The look on his face after was hard to read.

"A little better. Then I'll see it done." With a few sure strides Relius put some distance between himself and the captain. Surprisingly, there was no response from Hazama. There would be no better time then.

"Ignis, if you would please."

With nothing else to hold her back Ignis sank her bladed fingers into Hazama's throat and soon let his figure drop—a sick, but pleased grin still frozen over his features.


	2. Chapter 2

Hazama walked out with a taste still lingering on his lips and tongue. Perhaps it was too soon to split just yet, but he didn't need to wait around either. There was nothing else to be had after all. As he strode through the halls he straightened up his tie. Rarely if ever were there questions. It was not as though he were gone long.

The stroll from Relius' office to his own was not a long trip either. He could worry about any mess once he got back.

When he opened up his door there was a sharp screech and a wide-eyed, very guilty looking young woman in his office. She scrambled away from his desk; standing more attention. Hazama left the door open a crack and slowly skirted his way around her toward his desk—standing across from her at the opposite end of it.

Hazama let silence fill the room for the moment as he watched the girl look closer and closer to cracking. "Makoto Nanaya...Did you have a report to make?" he asked only after she looked completely uncomfortable.

There's a small sound out of her before she answers, but she did speak up eventually. "Y-yes captain. Reporting in. But...you weren't here so I was waiting. The door wasn't locked so I thought you'd be back soon."

"And were you waiting long?" Hazama asked. It couldn't have been that bad really. At least it seemed fast to him.

Makoto's gaze wandered to the desk then back to the wall. "Uh well, it was like a couple minutes maybe?"

There is one very long, very silent moment before Hazama smiled. The change in expression did not seem to help how tense the girl was. "Enough time to drop it off and be on your way I'm sure. Unless there's something you needed to share with me?"

"Not in a rush or anything but..." Makoto focused on him a bit better. Her guard was certainly up to an extent but less obvious than a moment ago. "My next assignment maybe...?"

He got the feeling she was fishing for excuses to get herself out of trouble at this point, but there was no harm she could do fishing around in his desk. Nothing vital to his own work anyway. That was all that mattered at the end. With a continuing smile he nods. "Of course. Such a hard working individual! I'll have it sorted out shortly I'm sure there was something..."

As he was about to move toward his chair when an odd look on Makoto's face stalled him. He would have normally ignored it, but there was something off about it.

"Is there something else on your mind, lieutenant?"

Another wave of panic hit the girl and she seemed to be trying to gesture from behind her cloak. "No no, captain. Sir...no offense here but you're kinda..." Makoto struggled with her choice of words before finally going on. "A mess?"

Her hand poked out from the edge of her cloak as she pointed at him; although it seemed a bit in general than at any one thing. Hazama looked down and understood a bit better. He'd managed to get his tie on properly but the rest was a bit hit and miss. His shirt was half untucked and he'd skipped a button on his vest. Perhaps he'd rushed back a bit more than he meant to.

Makoto didn't handle the new silence so well and squirmed a little in place. "There's not something up is there? I mean, not to make a big deal—it's not—just you know...in case someone important came in next?" she attempted in a series of odd blurts and stops.

Before Hazama could answer another figure came through the door after only a soft knock. In the doorway stood Relius. Even through the mask Hazama got the feeling he was surprised.

"Am I interrupting something?" the colonel asked. His attention soon rested on Makoto. Of course he would be distracted with that at a time like this.

"Colonel Relius! Your timing is...interesting as always. What can I do for you?" he said pleasantly enough. He raised a hand to his head with intention of adjusting his hat back but there was no hat when he reached. Although that did neatly explain the object in the colonel's grasp.

"Nothing of importance. I can wait for you two to finish up," Relius offered plainly. Makoto seemed to catch on that she was being sized up and made a few inching steps toward the door.

"...We'll be in touch, lieutenant. Contact with your assignment will be along later."

There was a fast "thanks" and Makoto was gone—zipping out the door faster than he'd seen her go before. And she did always leave in a rush.

Relius lingered aside the door, his gaze following Makoto until she was out of sight. Once she was well and gone enough he finished his train of thought on the matter for and closed the door behind himself. When he was sure it was shut Hazama let out a sigh.

"Can't wait 'til she gets herself killed. Or I suppose I line it up," he muttered; going to sit on his desk for now. Relius strode closer and set Hazama's hat back on his head for him. Hazama had half a mind to snatch it from him, but there was pouting there to be done.

"That's too bad. She could be something interesting. I would recommend against it—at least for my own research."

That was a path he wasn't in the mood to walk down. "I'm not lifting a finger. Not yet. She's annoying but...line up all the tools we can get. However onto more pressing matters. How did you let me leave like this?" Hazama was quick to answer before Relius' thoughts wandered off too far in that direction.

It takes the man an extra second to react. "I was waiting for you to work it out for yourself but it never seemed to happen. I was honestly surprised."

That pulled a grumble out of him as he straightened up a little and started to get his pants unbuckled. He pushed off the desk and tucked his shirt in properly. As he worked at this Relius stepped in a bit closer and set something else down on the desk. Hazama glanced over for a second in the middle of what he was doing and realized it was his watch.

"The hell _didn't_ I leave back there?" he muttered.

"I'm not sure how you made it out at all," Relius answered despite knowing full well that was not a question for him. "Perhaps it was too much for you?"

His hands came to a sharp stop over his belts before he could buckle them again. The smile returned to his face, turning just a bit annoyed as he spoke. "I think you're underestimating me. I'm not quite done yet."

"That is not what you said when you left."

Rather than giving Relius' very true admission any time, Hazama instead stepped in a bit closer. "I could think of a few things I probably missed."

There was an argument coming from him that would not be heard just yet. Already Hazama leaned in fast and helped himself to Relius' lips. It was not entirely brief but when they parted Relius glanced back over his shoulder.

"If you mean to do this then you might want to bother with locking the door."

"Later."

He could do with another taste.


	3. Chapter 3

The area around him was difficult to see at first. In the dim light he could start making things out—like his eyes were adjusting. There was a sealing circle beneath him. That would do for explaining why he felt so heavy at least. Further out from the light of the circle he could make out the walls. Stone, sturdy looking at least. He would have described the door across the room as "somewhat medieval" but he wasn't really there to comment on this person's choice in interior.

Parts of his mind wandered deeper, for a darker depth on the verge of recalling something unpleasant. Vaguely he could remember that sensation—like this but a bit unlike it as well. He half-expected the door to be swung open in the same way and for demands to be slung at him just as well. Not that they had much of a choice then either.

The past could be set aside for the time being. Hazama needed to work out how he got here first—which while being entirely honest, he had no idea how. There was a foggy sense in the back of his head. Had he fallen asleep?

He tried to make a move, at least to get some feeling back in his limbs but didn't find much strength in his legs. It wasn't like he couldn't move at all. Plenty of effort and he could. But it seemed like a lot of work for a circle he couldn't walk out of anyway. He does raise his head however. As he did another figure in the room became more clear.

A light flickered—seeming to come from both overhead and either side—and shone over the man in the regal chair. He looked to be amused at least.

"Very funny. Really, a knee-slapper, Relius," he said with a voice that came out just a little hoarse at first. How long had they been here?

In the low light Hazama could see the slight smirk on the colonel's face. There was no answer however.

"If you wanted to have me to yourself you could have just asked you know."

Still Relius was silent. Hazama's patience twisted and turned trying to keep him sounding the same as usual.

"Pretty cold if you're going to pull me into this and then not even say anything."

At that Relius stood up and approached Hazama who was stuck sitting and waiting for him. He felt himself tense a little when Relius stopped just outside the glowing circle.

A grin settled on Relius' lips that made Hazama just a touch uneasy. Relius reached one hand out catching Hazama's chin not too gently. The colonel leaned in a little closer as he spoke. "There are plenty of experiments left to do. I am expecting your very best behavior, Hazama."

A chill ran down Hazama's spine. The man was smiling but that didn't exactly sound like a joke either.

"What...kind of experiments are we talking about?"

Relius kept his hold on Hazama's chin, still grinning away through his answer. "Nothing too outside the usual. However, I felt I owed you a few surprises getting there. It's the least I could do for all your trouble-making."

Hazama had no idea how to read that reply other than to assume he must have pissed him off somehow. Or amused him somewhat. The old man was hard as hell to read when he needed to the most. He grinned back; gaze fixed on where he knew Relius' was watching in return behind the mask.

"I suppose a regular reprimanding wouldn't do?"

Still a smirk at those words. "Not for you."

Relius leaned in just a little closer, dangerously close, before he let Hazama's chin go and straightened back up. "I will let you make one request before I begin."

"Wow, getting kind of pushy, aren't we? You think I'll _really_ just play along?"

At that moment the feeling of heaviness lifted a little within the circle and Hazama sat up some in the chair; more confused than anything else. The lights in the room flickered and when they brightened back up the room was filled edge to edge with various gadgets for science—others for something else entirely. The sight pulsed into a feeling of both excitement and anxiety. This was a lot more forward than he could have ever anticipated.

Relius silently waited for Hazama's response—his likely change of tune surely. Or perhaps he was just reading the odd expression worming its way into Hazama's usual smile.

"Be gentle, Relius?"

It was at those very words that Hazama snapped away; sitting up in bed only half undressed. Carefully he ran his fingers through his hair and tried to put his head back together.

"More...tired than I realized, I suppose," he muttered mostly to himself.

"Moreso than I expected as well. Perhaps it's a sign you're getting yourself into too much trouble, Hazama."

The voice caught his attention and quickly yanked his gaze up to the man in his doorway. "Colonel Relius...helped yourself in I see. I'm...sure my sleeping face is tempting enough for you, but you could try knocking."

"I did. More than once. As well as calling. For a moment I considered that you'd expired." Relius stopped there and stared a bit more intensely Hazama's way. The feeling of his gaze brought a flicker of that room and his grasp on Hazama's chin to the captain's mind. He took a moment to try and start to dress himself again and not think further on it.

The odd, hurried behavior must have stood out. "Are you ill, Hazama? I wasn't aware you could be but..."

"No," he blurted at him much more suspiciously than he ever needed to. "I am just...not decent."

Relius did not appear so amused. "There is nothing I haven't seen already. You were not built dressed. And you've helped to yourself into my room undressed entirely at least once."

"I was saving you some time! I do you a favor and this is how I'm treated?"

"You're getting off topic from my question."

"I am _not_ sick. I will not _be_ sick. I am exactly as healthy and chipper as always." Despite his insisting, Relius didn't seem to buy it. The colonel reached out Hazama's way and caught his chin between his fingers. It was not a light hold.

The word tumbled out his mouth, half a question and half a request. "Gentle..!"

Relius's expression turned slowly to a grin.


	4. Chapter 4

Relius looked rather busy. It was terrible timing in short. The long form would be that Hazama was going to have to put in far more effort than he would have liked to. There had to be some sort of shortcut for dealing with the colonel. He'd tried a little of everything, but the man was damn good at stone-walling him whenever he was busy. No amount of sassing or teasing seemed to change that. Hazama would hang around close, read over his shoulder and even make himself comfortable openly on Relius' furniture in the lab but it did nothing. He had one idea left though. And considering how deeply the colonel was ignoring him this was going to have to be it. Time to break out his bigger weapons.

Hazama lingered aside Relius' big chair for a moment; leaning over his shoulder a bit and seeming to snoop on what he was doing. It wasn't like it was all entirely a mystery to him. He got most of it. But it was not the time to get distracted in what was actually going on. No, instead Hazama inched in a little lower every so often until his face was nearly level with Relius'. He could tell the colonel was getting annoyed, but ignoring him. Usually that did work.

Not this time.

He stayed too long focused on the screens before the puppeteer. They could only remain in this state so long sure, but Hazama knew better. The old man would win out over time—he always did. So he had to step things up one more notch.

When Relius appeared to have accepted his fate Hazama quickly slipped under one arm and helped himself to Relius' lap; sitting aside him with his legs hung over the arm of the chair. Hazama returned to appearing fixed on the screen.

There was a very long, very quiet moment.

Relius cracked finally with an uncomfortable clearing of his throat. "You're..."

As he trailed off Hazama finally looked his way and smiled pleasantly. "Yes, colonel? What can I do for you?" He had to rub it in while he had the chance.

"You'll need to move your head a little. You're in the way," he answered stern.

Hazama stared him down. He was serious about that too. Hazama groaned loudly and let himself hang dramatically over the side of the chair; his hands grazing the floor now. One hand reached up to keep his hat on his head at least.

"Is there nothing I can do to shake you, Relius?" he asked as the blood started to rush to his head.

"If throwing yourself over me is supposed to 'shake' me then I'm beginning to think you've run out of ideas," he answered casually; continuing to work over Hazama like he wasn't even there.

Clearly this was not enough to get his way. "I haven't even begun," Hazama muttered and started to rise. Before he got too far up Relius' hand pressed down on his chest.

"Let me get through this last bit. Be still until then."

Hazama immediately barked at him. "You're joking right? I'm not staying like this. Move."

Relius' hand moved from Hazama's chest to his face—effectively shutting him up for a few seconds. The other hand was still typing away at the keys through it all. It was both impressive and terribly frustrating.

Hazama let himself hang there for a few seconds before frustration won out. He caught a hold of Relius' glove with his teeth and with a creative tug, he yanked it off. Relius didn't even budge. He let the glove and his hat drop to the floor. He pulled himself up and shoved Relius' arm away.

There was a certain sort of determination in each move as Hazama latched an arm around the colonel's neck and just as smoothly the other hand held off the colonel's other. He would not be pushing him away again. The typing finally slowed a little.

"Have you caused enough trouble?" Relius asked in a lower voice.

"Not nearly enough. But I am letting you work, aren't I? I'm hardly a bother," the captain insisted pleasantly.

There came a defeated sigh. It was rare, but even after it Hazama could tell Relius was almost grinning. He was the one trying too hard surely.


	5. Chapter 5

Hazama had a noticeable concern with his manner of appearance. It was an unexpected yet very marked feature of the man. He was particular about his clothes being of a certain variety and fit–the shade of black and the texture of the fabric were fairly important. He would, for the most part, refuse to wear much of anything else.

Relius was very aware of the man's closet. It was precise. In his visits to the room he'd seen the neat line of suits and coats. Never did he expect this level of peculiar behavior. He was not even sure Terumi was knowledgeable in the manner in which one would tie their own necktie. Buttons were questionable at times, but he had at the very least worked out zippers.

The thought struck him again as he watched Hazama hunting for the specific tie that he wanted for that morning. Relius would not point out they were all essentially the same. The mess of it he found humorous and fascinating. There were little quirks of this soul he could not always predict.

"Look at you Colonel. Doing the walk of shame today, I see," Hazama teased as he cheerfully indulged in his full array of clothing that was undoubtedly brand new. Relius remained silent on the bed; not willing to invite more taunting his way.

So the captain carried on. "Not that anyone will notice. You keep the lab so dark a few wrinkles won't matter. Lucky you, huh?"

Hazama thought he might again be met with silence but Relius spoke up finally. "I'll be using your bath."

"Um, excuse you? Go use your own. I'm not sharing."

Silence filled the room once more as Hazama finally glanced over his shoulder. Relius looked as cool as always. He had a feeling he was not going to be fun to fight on this. Neither man seemed willing to move for what felt like too long.

"Hazama. Do you recall a few weeks ago when you stole into my room and not only broke all my locks and seals, but also did so at four in the morning?"

Hazama was quiet at first. Did he have an angle here or was he just being an asshole?

"I'm not going to lie and say I didn't do it."

"Do you have any idea how much trouble it was to replace those items?"

"Colonel Relius are you honestly trying to guilt me? Because I couldn't give two shits."

Relius did not immediately comment. It gave Hazama the impression that he gave up. It was a pointless endeavor in that way. He couldn't be beaten by guilt if he had none.

"I should have expected as much I suppose," Relius said as he rose and gathered his things. He lingered in place rather than finishing dressing. "Then it is no problem I keep hold of the footage that was taken while you made your way in. I would have to look it over again to recall just how you looked at the time..."

Hazama felt the color start to drain out of his face. "You can't possibly..."

"Oh, I could. Quite definitely. But it's of no matter to you, of course. Perhaps something for others to know," Relius carried on, the smuggest of grins settling over his face.

"Relius Clover..." Hazama began slowly, "Are you blackmailing me?"

The colonel kept on smiling, amusement in his tone. "Such a harsh word, captain. I'm simply working toward a reasonable place to meet you mid-way."

Hazama's shoulders slumped. This was too much work for too little pay off. He groaned, put his clothes out of the way and flopped back into bed. "Fine, fine. Use the damn bath. I can't believe you'd blackmail me over a goddamn bath, but whatever. Your ship to sink, Relius."

The mumbling received no response as Relius simply made his way over toward the bath, shut the door and helped himself. Hazama let himself sink further into the bed as he listened in on whatever was going on through the door. Soon enough the water could be heard running and he was left guessing. Why the bastard couldn't just go use his own damn shower Hazama didn't know. He had a feeling it was probably out of spite. To be an ass. Nothing important—that was for sure.

He heard the water stop and the sound of someone climbing into the tub. That was supposed to be him. The thought just made him more salty about it. There was no going through the day without a bath. Especially not after the previous night.

The longer he sat there the more frustrated he got with it until eventually he stood up. He'd do something. Relius was probably soaking and enjoying himself too—the bastard. He could sort this out probably.

Sort Relius out maybe.

He stood up abruptly out of bed and went to gather his clothes; already dressing mid-step. He only stopped when he heard Relius' voice through the door.

"If you're going to go use my bath out of spite I think you'll find nothing of value in that. Not to mention it is not quite as comfortable as your's."

Hazama chucked his clothes at the bed in a single moment of frustration before swinging the bath room door open wide. Relius did not look surprised, merely relaxed in the tub. Although the mask still rested on his face. He had to have put that back on just to fuck with him. It had to be some kind of planned joke. It worked and pissed him off even more.

"Colonel," he said nearly through his teeth with a strained grin. "I think you're about ready to get out."

He did not budge and instead grinned back at him with ease. "Not at all. Where do you get all these soaps? Do you really have the time to hunt these things down?"

The blasé reaction was more annoying than the last. The worst part was Hazama knew damn well he was doing it on purpose. Usually he was the one getting under everyone's skin, but Relius knew. He knew too well this little crack in his armor.

In a second of not really thinking, Hazama grabbed one of the soaps in question and threw it at Relius' face. The puppeteer caught it, of course, and merely set it aside calmly. Before he could retort like it looked like he was going to Hazama was throwing more. He threw every single one he could get his hands on.

While he stopped some, ultimately Relius was pelted with soap leading to some less than graceful moments that Hazama caught every second of. Once Hazama realized what he saw he broke out into laughter. With a few proud steps Hazama was at the side of the tub, grinning widely and looking quite pleased. He leaned over Relius who still looked a bit perplexed with the whole mess.

"So you're ready done, right? You're gone?" Hazama attempted again, this time with much more energy for it.

It took a moment longer than usual for the other man to answer. "I don't suppose that I am exactly...But I can work something out."

There was just no surrender with Relius. Not today it seemed. Their gazes met for a few seconds before Relius carried on. "I could share, I suppose."

Hazama spared one look over the bath and the colonel. "You know we won't fit." It was just a matter of fact at that point. It was not the biggest tub. "In fact I know you know that and still you said it anyway."

Relius' expression remained steeled as he grinned just a pinch wider. "You won't try? What's wrong, Hazama? You're backing off so easily."

"I'm not backing off, I can see!"

The following thoughtful silence left him just a little uncomfortable. He considered throwing more soap, but Relius spoke up again.

"How strange. It's almost as if having your personal space invaded is...what would you call it, Hazama? Perhaps frustrating? Grating? Bothersome?"

The captain recalled every time he climbed over Relius' furniture and space with the explicit goal of bothering him. It all came at once too.

"Is this payback?"

"It is."

Silence filled the small room briefly.

"You aren't leaving my bath yet, are you?"

"Not yet."

Rather than letting himself be bothered by all the heated emotions of the minutes prior Hazama took a breath. Air in and air out, now he could think clearly. Relius didn't plan this as well as he thought he did surely. There was a weak point in the plan.

In one quick motion Hazama shoved his way into the bath; one leg at either of Relius' sides; essentially doing more sitting on him than actually getting in the tub. It was admittedly a very tight fit—one that hurt just a little bit. Not that he couldn't work with what. There came an odd grunt out of Relius and a bit of strain in his face as Hazama settled on him.

"There you go! I'm sharing. And we fit just like you insisted. Are you happy? I hope you like it snug," Hazama chattered happily as though he were not shoving his legs into a space far too tight for them. He was thin, but not nearly enough.

Relius' grip on the outside rim of the tub loosened only after a few moments of trying to get used to this. He realized it was his own damn fault shortly enough. Usually he could gauge where Hazama's common sense and decency ended. Not well enough perhaps.

The man on top leaned in closer; resting his hands at the rim of the tub behind Relius' head. For that moment his eyes remained narrowed but fixed on where he would find Relius' gaze. His voice dropped a bit lower, a little more taunting in tone. "Is this all you wanted? You could ask, you know. I'll get in just as tight as you'll have me, Relius."

Relius couldn't very well admit this had veered off plan, but his sight for whatever the plan had been was dimming. Hazama made himself difficult to ignore when he put his mind to it. There was only so much leaving him to it that he could stand.

"You are a shameless creature." Each word came out a touch more pointed than he really intended. It didn't bother Hazama who merely cackled—his head dipping lower aside Relius', his shoulders shaking.

"No, go on. If you're sitting on more compliments, why not share?"

The request was met at first with a creeping silence. Perhaps he was at a loss for words. Maybe he was seriously considering it; Hazama was not quite sure.

When Relius spoke it was in a hushed tone. "What sort of flattery are you expecting? I doubt you want this from me as much as you are thinking you do."

"Oh come on now. I'm you're favorite, aren't I? You do come to see me often enough."

Hazama's answer gave Relius pause once more. He had not exactly considered it in such a way. It led him to still shake his head at the end. "I would hope you aren't making foolish assumptions."

Hazama merely smiled back at him; keeping close. "I wouldn't dream of it. I know better."

A conversation which held little context, but it was one they ultimately understood each other from. Hazama remained only another moment before he lowered himself just a bit closer to Relius' face.

"So don't sweat the details. Let's just enjoy the moment. That is what you wanted at the end, isn't it?"

Hazama's lips grazed close to his skin, but not quite. Just enough to tease a closer touch. He wanted to make things more difficult if he could.

Relius still managed to answer with a bit more poise than before. "I intended to get under your skin a little, but I see you've found your own way of dealing with this."

"Who's under whose skin now?" Hazama taunted him with a grin. The pause there was momentary. "I think you're under me this morning...It has been awhile, hasn't it?"

The teasing and taunting didn't do too much to change Relius' posture or his tone of voice. "I'm not sure what you think you're going to do like this, but do feel free to believe whatever you like."

Immediately the captain took this as a challenge and pressed against him in a much less innocent manner. The usually steel look on the colonel's face turned to just a bit of strain. It was small, but a start. He could work with that.

Hazama shifted up as he could; moving over Relius carefully, but with a position in mind. He didn't quite go there though. It wasn't exactly comfortable, but holding out like this he could do as long as needed as long as he got what he wanted at the end. There came a low laugh out of him as he recognized the advantage he had.

"You know, Relius," he began as he worked himself into a position he liked; shifting at the hip and spine to keep close, but not exactly touching. Not very well anyway. "I'm not sure you're so innocent as to be unable to figure out whatever I'd like to do. What I _could_ do."

He was met first with silence, then unexpectedly, a crooked grin. "You are almost trapped where you are and insist you have all the power here. It is a little ridiculous."

Hazama got the hint. "Maybe. But I'll take my wins where I can get them."

In a lowered, breathier voice, Relius answered much quicker. "Have I said I would take them from you if we were to move?"

The words buzzed around in Hazama's skull for a few seconds before he recognized the meaning. "Is that an offer, colonel?"

After a brief quiet moment, Relius grinned a little more broadly. Hazama could hardly stand how he sounded. He could have strangled him for it too.

"You head that direction and I will see about everything I might offer you, Hazama."

That edge of tension—that small hint of something good to come perhaps drew Hazama's interest. As nice as this was it was cramped and less to work with. Options he liked the sound of. If said that way who was he to say no?

Just barely under his breath, Hazama laughed and brought his lips to Relius' ear. "I'll give you the pleasure of showing me then."

Calm and cool as always Relius simply remained where he was and waited for Hazama to move as he was hoping. Rather than doing exactly as predicted Hazama worked a bit differently. He did motion to sit up more, but rather than getting up he leaned back down and pressed quickly at Relius' lips with his own. He could he could just feel the smug grin fading.

He parted feeling refreshed for it and looked down on Relius twice as smug as he might have been moments before. "Make sure you keep up," he decided for him as he straightened up and got himself out of the tub. He helped himself to a towel hanging on the wall as Relius slowly stood and joined him at his side. The towel passed casually the colonel's way as Hazama went back to the bedroom. Not that he needed to dress or anything at this point. The morning could be delayed a little longer maybe.

Already his head was swimming with plans; with how he wanted to do this. When Relius stepped out behind him Hazama didn't even bother looking again; he was already making his way through his list.

"I realize you said showing me, but I think there's something I had in mind. If you're here you should just get comfortable and then—maybe not too much. I wanna see the look on your face when I—"

Hazama stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Relius dressing himself as usual rather than actually listening to him. He froze right in place as he started to realize he was probably just had.

"Did you...really think you could toy with me like this?" he muttered his way, looking less than impressed as the colonel put his arms through his sleeves.

"I have every intention of showing you all your options. I have not lied to you after all," he answered with all the calm ease that was soon becoming more annoying than anything else.

Relius fastened his cloak back in place before going on. The silence left Hazama already planning ways to get back at him. "I'll even make it very easy for you."

Something about the tone of those words snapped Hazama's attention back to the present. "Well? Are you going to waste my time or—"

Before he could even finish that the marionette arms were out from behind Relius and pulling Hazama into the bed face first. One arm reached out a bit further, picked up Hazama's hat from aside him on the bed and helpfully put it on his head.

"There you have it. You're set. Do enjoy, Hazama. I'll see you at a later time." The smugness in Relius' voice was so obvious it might have been the worst the captain had ever heard him. The last comment would be the final nail in the coffin. "I did so enjoy your bath however. Another time perhaps I'll be by to use it again."

He half-muttered, half-groaned Relius' name as the colonel left him be. Once the door was closed what could be heard behind it could have been described as some kind of loud hex, but Relius deemed it something he could ignore.


	6. Chapter 6

Hazama was usually very good at keeping his face out of the public record. Sure, he had his own office and was captain still in the chain of command, but for official events? He was a ghost. He'd work himself into some distant mission or clear out one way or another. But every once and awhile he couldn't worm his way out. It would be suspicious to all of those lower on the ladder and a few above. There was a certain level of keeping his nose down he had to play along with—even with his grasp where it was in the NOL.

That brought Hazama to that day. There was no flirting around this little gathering this time. He did have to show and blend in enough to be noticed slightly. It was far more formal than he would have liked too. Uniforms were only barely enforced usually, but for an event like this he was expected to show up fully decked out in all the trim. The military tunics and taller boots were expected along with the proper colors for each unit. The hall was a mess of the same outfits in their few mix of colors and identical hats and cloaks for every member in the branch along with those who had come for the occasion. Hazama couldn't stand it. He did well enough with some idea of manners and formal speech, but it still was grating at the end of the day.

When it was finally over he made his way straight over to Relius' lab. Maybe to commiserate. Or at least complain a little. Now that he was let himself in he realized he hadn't seen Relius at the event at all. Sure enough when he opened the door it looked like Relius likely had been working there all day. His uniform was the usual one too. It irked him.

"Have a nice day doing whatever you like?" he led off with just a touch of venom in his voice. It was something Relius was good at ignoring at this point. He didn't even acknowledge the not-question.

Hazama continues in closer until he was standing just behind Relius' chair. He complains the whole trip over. "I can't believe you got out of that crap. There was so much posturing and the speeches went on for days. Just kill me at that point, please. I can't stand it."

"After all the trouble we've gone through to keep you alive Hazama, that is a little rude."

"No greeting is pretty rude too."

"You did not greet me properly either."

Both go silent for a moment before Relius finally looked up from his work and looked Hazama over. Hazama dumped his beret on Relius' head. It was swatted away in a second before Hazama stepped back to sit at the other desk behind Relius. He made himself comfortable there; one leg crossed over the other, one hand on the desk for balance's sake. He felt Relius' focus on him but said nothing.

"That is why you are so surly," Relius said after what could have been a century.

"I've been in a bad mood well before the greeting issue, Colonel," Hazama answered like this were obvious. It was. Sometimes Relius was just off.

He shook his head and grinned slightly. "They've dressed you up like some kind of proper, real official for once."

"It was mandatory. The last I checked I still had to play nice with these fools. You're lucky you're so intimidating no one asks you to do anything. You do scare people off, you realize that, right?"

"That is my preference at this point. Usually I would be working _alone_. Without interruption," Relius said very pointedly. It soared right over Hazama's head.

"I wanted to see you in this stupid uniform too. Imagine you in one of these hats," Hazama said with a grin. "You tossed it off too fast."

"I wouldn't have worn it anyway. It doesn't suit me. It does look good on you however," Relius decided, sounding somewhat official on this.

Hazama's first instinct was to argue, but he held it off. There was a compliment in there. He hops off the desk and moves to stand closer to Relius, a terrible grin on his face. "Is that so? I didn't know that was your kind of thing. I didn't know you wanted me out of my pants so badly, Colonel."

"The desire isn't so strong. But this does suit you. Although your tunic seems a bit short."

His blase in taking that on was impressive, Hazama thought at times. Still, he wasn't going to be outdone. He turns his hip Relius' way and clasps at the end of the tunic, just starting to hike it up playfully. "I could pull it up a little more if that's what has your attention," he teased.

Relius almost immediately turned back to his work—ignoring Hazama all over again. Just before Hazama could blow up at him, he responded.

"I'll see you in a few hours...Keep that on. At least to _begin_ , Hazama."


End file.
